A bunch of wise people are always saying that the true measure of success in life is the ability to do what we love. And yet, for many musicians, something – be it an excess of other responsibilities or a lack of funds – always seems to get in the way. Not so for Toronto’s Zeus, one of the most refreshingly hang up and excuse-free indie bands working today. Members Mike O’Brien, Carlin Nicholson, Rob Drake, and Neil Quin play music constantly, ferociously, and on their own terms, and their unaffected, eminently listenable sound is the reward for listeners.

Zeus released their first full-length album, Say Us, this month. While the record came out on indie label, Arts & Crafts, the guys produced Say Us independently, in a recording studio they built themselves. The album’s uniquely sonorous rock vibe is a result of the band’s recording philosophy, which prioritizes a true-to-vinyl sound.

Zeus is currently on tour in North America with Jason Collett and Bahamas, both of whom they back throughout the show, on top of playing their own set. Clearly, for these guys, nights of jamming until you suddenly realize it’s time for breakfast aren’t just a rare occurrence, but a way of life. Their tremendous work ethic as musicians, and enthusiasm for collaborating with other artists, has resulted in a future that’s not just looking do-what-you-love successful, but make-your-mother-proud-successful, too.

Gighive caught up with Zeus’ Carlin Nicholson this week to pick his brains on recording Say Us independently. Here’s what he had to say:

Over the last couple of weeks, there’s been a serious uproar in the UK’s indie music community. In case you haven’t yet heard the news, it seems that the BBC – the UK’s public service broadcaster, and the largest broadcasting network in the world – is on the brink of cancelling 6 Music.

6 Music is a digital station. Launched in 2002, it is the UK’s only truly major alternative/indie radio. Unlike the BBC’s other, mainstream-focused radio, 6 Music exposes listeners to indie labels, unsigned bands, and rarities from the BBC music archives (like the infamous John Peel Sessions).

The station also allows its DJs relatively extraordinary freedom to play tracks that they like, recommend new music, and shape the tone of their programs. In an era when radio DJs are anything but selectas, this is a rare enough phenomenon, indeed.

A Political Move

Indie Bands Get a Shot At Becoming Rock Band Famous

The Rock Band Network music store is officially live. Will it be the greatest thing to happen to indie music since iTunes? Let’s have a look.

For all you kids not in the know, the Rock Band Network is the newest incarnation of the Xbox Rock Brand, er Band franchise. Network allows bands to put their songs on Rock Band 2. And not just big name artists. Using development tools provided by Rock Band, all indie bands can now, theoretically, have their songs available for sale, download, and play at the Network music store. Here’s how it works:

The Investment

You’re working on a new album. How do you release it? If you have any fans at all, chances are your record will be copied and spread all over the internet before you can say ‘final master.’ On the other hand, maybe you’ve got no fans and even if you do release your album for free on your website, who’s gonna care?

You can operate as did Joanna Newsom, for her hotly anticipated new album, Have One On Me. ­Newsom recorded the three-disc epic in an environment of absolute secrecy in order to prevent, er, leakage.

So that’s one way to go about it. However, many of this spring’s other big indie releases are taking a decidedly different approach. Over the last week, a flurry of bands have been pre-releasing new albums on major news websites. The albums are set up to stream – every song complete, no lame 30-second samples – for the week leading up to their official release.

Broken Bells

Broken Bells, the new collaboration between DJ Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, DANGERDOOM, Ghetto Pop Life, The Grey Album) and James Mercer (The Shins), are streaming their self-titled album on NPR. Broken Bells, officially scheduled for release March 9^th, is a unique new venture for both artists, melding genres in a way that may not pique the interest of indie or electronic fans. By streaming the album online, Broken Bells invites listeners to get hooked on the music before they buy. And they will get hooked. Broken Bells may be one of this year’s best albums, and Danger Mouse and Mercer are betting on its strength to sell mucho copies and concert tickets.

Over the last few weeks, Vancouver, Canada has hosted athletes from all over the world for the Winter Olympics. But did you know that Vancouver has also been hosting musicians from all over the world? Yup, street performers have traveled from far and wide for one reason and one reason only: to busk on the sometimes-sunny Vancouver streets, and cash in on the magnanimity of Olympic tourists.

Why would someone fly across Canada, the U.S. or even Europe to busk at the Olympics? Because if you’re in the right place at the right time, a savvy, talented musician can make as much as $1000.00 a day.*

Here’s how….

What to do.

Don’t Just Have a Talent, Have an Act

Unfortunately, in many people’s minds, there’s a fine line between busker and beggar. To busk successfully, a musician has to separate herself from the crowd with an act. To stand out, she must:

• Rock an instrument other than the guitar.
• Always stand up to perform. No one’s going to shower her in money for sitting on her ass.
• Wear a costume. In a competitive busking environment, a girl playing the harp in an angel costume, or a guy playing the violin dressed as Darth Vadar, is going to earn points just for style.
• Dress up. If she’s not a costume-wearer, she must rock a suit, a dress, bright red shoes, or anything to send the message: I am not a homeless person!**

Consider goo balls. Not balls made of goo, per se, but the hit underground video game, World of Goo, created by designers Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel of 2D Boy. 2D Boy is an independent game development studio, run by Gabler and Carmel, former EA employees whose World of Goo became 2009’s number 1 indie gaming success story.

What Does This Have to do With Indie Music?

World of Goo was a success, in no small part, thanks to the ambient, pleasantly otherworldly environment it’s set in, and that environment, in turn, is created by Gabler’s soundtrack. Always part gamer/part composer, Gabler developed the soundtrack using music he’d made for other small projects. The soundtrack alone has been almost as popular as the game, a nice bonus for an indie composer.

Over the last few years, indie gaming has opened up to all kinds of ambient, down tempo, and experimental soundtracks. Underground hits like Machinarium, Osmos, and Aquaria have been lauded for their scoring, and have opened the doors to other work for the indie composers involved.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

The romance between music and video games has been around for a while. There’s even something special about (and a whole world of indie music created around) the old-school chiptunes sounds of Mario Bros. and Street Fighter. Of course, we’ve come a long way since Mario.

The Random, Troubling Antics of the IFPI and How They Impact Indie Artists.

Something sinister has been going on in the indie music blogosphere this February. And not just this February. Rumors and conjecture and suspicious activity have been noted on the periphery of web consciousness since the start of the new year.

As noted last week by The Guardian, several major music blogs have been shut down, randomly and suddenly, due to a takedown notice sent to Google by the IFPI.

Just when you thought the RIAA was getting a little soft.

The IFPI is the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Basically a bunch of guys using international law to threaten Google. In response, Google took down six music blogs hosted on its Blogspot service, including relative non-offenders like I Rock Cleveland and Masala.

Right this minute, people are going nuts over the recently announced lineup for this year’s Sasquatch Music Festival. In fact, according to the official Sasquatch Twitter feed, “Sasquatch 2010 lineup” is currently the most searched phrase on Google, not just in the U.S. but, like, on the planet earth.

Not a surprising response, considering the roster of indie’s best and brightest. Headlining acts will be Pavement, Massive Attack, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, My Morning Jacket, and – OMG! – Ween! From there, the lineup only gets more awesome, and predictably, more obscure.

This year might be Sasquatch’s furthest foray from anything that could be considered mainstream music. While some fans feel like they’ve just stepped into a world they usually only visit via iPod, other are left wondering, “who the hell are these bands?”

The question has far-reaching implications. How should organizers go about building a festival lineup during an era when fan-bases are becoming increasingly dispersed, and the universally-adored superstar a creature in danger of extinction? While most of the bands on the Sasquatch roster have fans all over the world, dedicated bases of local supporters are becoming increasingly rare.

Of course, this year, at least, the question is all but moot. Sasquatch will sell out purely on the promise of a great opportunity to get plastered and see Massive Attack play live. But what does the future hold for big festivals of this type? Will people pay to discover new bands?

A couple of weeks ago, a group going by the name of Die Antwoord (Afrikaans for The Answer) started to blow up all over the internet, and hence, the world. Die Antwoord, known by turns as a Zef, rap-rave, or next level beat production act, has been gaining popularity in South Africa since last April, but has gained serious, serious global media attention over the last month by making us all sit up and go WTF?

If your friends haven’t already posted it to Facebook, check out Die Antwoord’s Zef Side video right now.

Done?

How’re ya’ll feeling? Vacillating between a weird mix of “can this be real?” and “wow, so, South Africa, eh?” You’re not alone. The concept of this band of seemingly methed-out, white trash (Zef) South African kids with a dream of bringing their “next-level gangsta rap shit” to the world has completely captivated viewers. Die Antwoord seems to open up a door into contemporary South African popular culture, and it’s just SO gritty, and hipster, and bizarre.

And, of course, it’s not exactly real.

The Brains Behind Die Antwoord

Die Antwoord’s slick website, well-produced videos, and collaborations with South African artists like DJ/visual performer Leon Botha and photographer Roger Ballen instantly clued cynical viewers in. The little tribe of DJ Hi-Tek, Emcee Ninja, and booty girl Yo-Landi could not be as fabulously, authentically other-world as their hipster hairstyles, ghetto tattoos, and esoteric understanding of web culture would have us believe.

All head no heart approach failing for the old guard in 2010.

Any of you indie musicians ever heard of MIDEM? How about all you independent producers, managers, and marketing peeps out there? If the acronym is new to you, don’t be surprised. MIDEM is an annual gathering in Cannes, France, that brings together the very worst, er, best of the music biz for the year’s largest display of industry backslapping, handshaking, and deal-making.

This year, MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale) took place from January 24^th to 27^th. Although the event involves some music and musicians, it’s made up primarily of all those lovely people who make the wheels of the mainstream music industry turn. Attendees are at MIDEM for one reason and one reason only: to figure out how to turn their money into more money.

Who Came Out?

Activision and Ubisoft were there, talking about how in-game music licensing has brought the music industry to its knees; Coke, Pepsi, Nokia, and Converse discussed the role of music in building brand identity; David Renzer, the chairman and CEO of Universal Publishing, was there, too, talking about industry dynamics so vast and abstract that they were almost impossible to link back to anything that could be rightly described as ‘music.’

Proof that Indie Collaboration is Worth More Than Label Support.

Leave it to Amanda Palmer to be up to something interesting. Starting in 2007, rumors began to fly about a pair of conjoined twins – former circus act(s) – whose musical talent had been ‘discovered’ by Palmer and accordion-wielding-street-performer extraordinaire, Jason Webley.

The twins – known as Evelyn Evelyn – released the EP Elephant Elephant in 2007, and are now prepping for the liberation of their first full-length album and world tour, supported by Webley’s true-blue indie label, Eleven Records.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Are the world’s first Parapagus Tripus Dibrachius indie superstars about to break down barriers for conjoined twins everywhere, or are the twins, in fact, Palmer and Webley themselves? And either way, what is this world tour gonna look like?

Photo by Lenka Sindelarova

The only thing that can be said for certain is that Evelyn Evelyn is yet more proof, by way of Amanda Fucking Palmer, that hard creative work, not major label support, is the key to a great career in music.

Palmer got her start as part of the Dresden Dolls – a duo of experimental, cabaret-style punk rockers – and has since moved on to a successful solo career, which – rather than being a solitary pursuit – has involved constant collaboration with other musicians, artists, and stage performers of all kinds.

And if so, why?

Surprising discovery – Grammy Awards are not, in fact, automatically assigned to the artist who sold the most albums in a given year. Nope. People actually vote on these things. Here’s how it works.

“…honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.” – Grammy.com

All record companies and Recording Academy members are welcome to submit artists and albums and records and singles and all that business for consideration. Emphasis on the “All record companies” bit, right?

Next, however, 150 “industry experts” screen submissions then vote on which of them should be entered into up to NINE of the Grammys 30 categories. The ones who get the most votes become nominees.

Finally, members of the Recording Academy vote on the winners in up to EIGHT categories, presumably the ones they are most knowledgeable in. In this way, a small cotillion of across-the-board winners – from RCA, Columbia, Interscope, Atlantic, and other labels under Sony and Warner – is produced.

This year, Beyoncé won in 6 major categories. Who else did well? Taylor Swift, The Black Eyed Peas, Kings of Leon – the usually cast of automatic winners who surprise only in how shockingly predictable and generic the selections are.

Not every musician wants to become rich and famous, but everyone wants the work they do to translate into the ability to have what they want in life. Often, struggling artists content themselves with very little, but this lifestyle can become savagely wearisome when it limits our ability not just to have, but to give.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, celebrities have donated enormous amounts of money to relief efforts. The Hope for Haiti telethon alone raised over $58 million. But for a lot of indie musicians, producers, songwriters, engineers, instrument-makers, and artists of all kinds, even small donations can be a stretch, which is enormously frustrating.

So how can a struggling artist contribute to Haiti relief efforts, or to any instance of human tragedy or environmental disaster desperately in need of funds?

Throw an Indie Event

As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, you don’t need to be a huge celebrity to make an important contribution. In communities all over the world, independent musicians and artists have been coming together and producing events to raise money for Haiti.

From an indie hip hop label in Minneapolis, to a spontaneous collective of artists in Chicago, to a youth ministry in San Luis Obispo, to a music blog in Culver City, musicians all over the country, and the world, are using their talents to raise money. And anybody can do it.

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